Total gross expenditure on defence in 2010 amounted to €962 million, comprising €744 million under the Defence Vote and €218 million under the Army pensions Vote. Through the Defence Forces, the State has a single set of multi-purpose military forces focused on delivering outputs across the full range of tasks assigned by the Government. The bulk of expenditure is accounted for by the pay, allowances and pension costs of the Defence Forces and the pay of civilians employed. On 31 December 2010, the strength of the Permanent Defence Force was 9,550, and there were 728 civilian employees attached to units of the Defence Forces and 354 civil servants in the Department of Defence.
The defence organisation has a strong track record of reform and modernisation. The Croke Park agreement recognises the contribution the defence organisation has already made to the necessary process of budgetary adjustment to secure economic recovery and renewal. The June report of the implementation body highlighted a number of priority issues, such as the conclusion of the review of security duty, technician pay and substitution and acting-up allowances, the introduction of performance based promotion systems and the implementation of the medical review report. Representatives of the implementation body recently met officials from the Department. They acknowledged the progress that has been made under the agreement and noted the co-operation of the representative associations. The Department expects that the change programme will be delivered in full.
In the current economic situation, it is no longer possible to invest in major equipment purchases at the same level as in recent years. For the foreseeable future, the acquisition of defensive equipment will take place on a strictly prioritised basis to match operational capabilities and ensure the Defence Forces can carry out their roles at home and overseas. A particular focus is being maintained on ensuring modern and effective equipment is available for overseas peace support operations. In this regard, the personal equipment the individual soldier in the Defence Forces has at his or her disposal in Lebanon compares well with the equipment in use by other countries.
A number of Naval Service vessels are approaching the end of their useful lives. Following a tender competition, a contract was awarded in October 2010 to a UK company, Babcock Marine, for the provision of two new offshore patrol vessels. Preparations for construction have commenced and the first new vessel is scheduled for delivery in early 2014. The second vessel will follow in 2015. Significant equipment deliveries in 2010 included the receipt of 27 light tactical armoured vehicles and four surveillance suites, which are used on the vehicles. These vehicles provide protected mobility for troops on overseas missions. The surveillance suites are required to enhance the capability of the Defence Forces to carry out surveillance for overseas peace support operations.
Ireland is currently contributing 524 Permanent Defence Force personnel to 11 overseas missions, with the main commitment to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, UNIFIL. The deployment of the 104th Infantry Battalion was completed on 27 June 2011. A total of 454 Irish personnel are currently serving with UNIFIL, including nine personnel at the force headquarters in Naqoura. The Irish battalion is based in the western sector of UNIFIL's area of operations in an area designated by the force commander. The area is centred on the major towns of Tibnin and Bint Jubayl and the blue line that separates Israel from Lebanon. The battalion is tasked primarily with patrolling, reconnaissance and ground holding, while operating in close co-ordination and co-operation with the Lebanese armed forces. The Defence Forces deployment to UNIFIL will initially be for one year, subject to renewal of the mandate and a satisfactory review of the mission. Ireland's participation in the mission is expected to continue for three to four years.
The other main overseas commitments of the Defence Forces are the NATO-led international security presence - KFOR - in Kosovo with 12 personnel, the EU training mission in Somalia with seven personnel, the EU-led Operation ALTHEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina with seven personnel, and the NATO-led international security assistance force in Afghanistan with seven personnel. The EU training mission in Somalia is commanded by an Irish officer.
The Defence Forces provided much-needed aid to the civil authorities to deal with severe weather emergencies and gorse fires in 2010 and 2011. This support in times of emergency forms a key part of the insurance policy available to the State in the form of military capabilities. The various call-out procedures that are in place nationally and locally operated efficiently during these emergencies.
The Office of Emergency Planning in the Department of Defence is charged, inter alia, with the management of the national emergency co-ordination centre, which is located in Agriculture House on Kildare Street in Dublin. Its most significant activation was for the co-ordination of the national level response to the severe weather event that occurred in November and December 2010. Reviews of response to emergency events have acknowledged the value of having an emergency centre where all the main players can come together to share information and develop a whole of Government response to emergencies.
While the largest category of expenditure is military pay, Defence Forces pensions are also a significant item of expenditure amounting to a net €212 million. The increased military pensions spend reflects the situation across the public service, where higher levels of retirements have continued to occur than was previously the case. Approximately 11,400 pensioners, comprising 9,400 retired members of the Defence Forces, 1,700 spouses and children of deceased members of the Defence Forces and 260 spouses of veterans of the War of Independence, are catered for under this Vote.
I would like to refer to Chapter 32 of Volume 2 of the Comptroller and Auditor General's report, which deals with financial control in the Irish Red Cross Society. I welcome the report's conclusions. A significant programme of reform of the society is under way. The Minister recently met with the society's chairman and secretary general and a wide range of changes relating to how the society is governed both nationally and at local level were outlined. A number of these changes are referred to in the report. The brief provided to the committee in advance of today's meeting also lists a wide range of further initiatives that have recently been taken.